


Questions About Lampposts

by OrionMoonrise



Series: Thorns and Arrows [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Kissing, Virginity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-07
Updated: 2015-08-07
Packaged: 2018-04-13 11:43:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4520622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrionMoonrise/pseuds/OrionMoonrise
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An bittersweet expansion on the infamous lamp post licking conversation between Alistair and Rose Cousland.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Questions About Lampposts

Rose found herself sleepless for a third night in a row. Nightmares of demons, dragons and the death of her family haunted her even more these days. Rather than lay in her tent thrashing around on her bedroll for the rest of the night, she walked out to the fire where she found Alistair sitting alone on a log. It was his night to watch, and as it was a relatively quiet evening, he looked bored out of his mind. 

“You should go get some rest if you are tired. I know I won’t sleep tonight.” She told him as she sat down next to him, with her hip touching his. She leaned against him gently, savoring the solid comfort of his body next to hers.

“The nightmares are getting even worse?” Alistair asked rhetorically, looking down at her with concern. He put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her tighter to him. He kissed the top of her head, resisting the urge to bury his nose in her auburn hair and take in her scent. 

Rose sighed as she leaned into him. She reached out with her hand and absent-mindedly traced invisible patterns into the thigh of his sueded trousers. Alistair became very still, and his breathing deepened as he felt the touch of her gentle fingers against his leg. He reached up with his free hand and stroked her cheek, bringing his fingers to her chin before tipping her head up and touching his lips to hers, softly at first, then more boldly as he felt her lips part against his. Rose pulled back suddenly with a quiet moan, and regarded Alistair thoughtfully.

“Alistair, if you were raised in the chantry, have you never…” She asked carefully.

“Never? Never what?” He replied with a laugh. “Had a good pair of shoes?”

“You know what I mean!” Rose said, slapping his thigh and rolling her eyes at him.

“I’m not sure I do. Have I never…seen a basilisk? Ate jellied ham? Have I never licked a lamppost in winter?” Alistair asked as a smirking grin spread across his face.

“Now you’re just making fun of me,” Rose sighed and stared at the ground as a blush spread across her face. 

“Make fun of you, dear lady? Perish the thought!” Alistair replied, before adding lasciviously, “Well, tell me. Have YOU ever licked a lamppost in winter?”

Rose sighed again and looked at Alistair searchingly before responding. She couldn’t stop her mind from traveling back all those years. She was younger then than Alistair is now. She remembered deep kisses, wandering hands and sneaking off down dark passages in the middle of the night. She remembered her fingers tangled in long black hair and staring into icy blue eyes as deft fingers grasped at the flesh of her hips. She remembered the timbre of his voice, gravely and low as he promised to love her forever.

Then she remembered the heartbreak of forced separation. She remembered six years of unanswered letters. Finally, she remembered one night of unimaginable terror and pain as the man who had forced them apart finally slipped the dagger all the way into her heart, not just taking away her love, but her entire family and everyone she had ever cared for in her entire life. 

But Alistair. Alistair is good. He is kind. He doesn’t need to share this burden with her. If they survive the blight. If they find some way to make this thing between them something more than a passing comfort in a time of death and destruction. Then, and only then, would she tell him the full horrible truth of it all. 

“Yes, Alistair. I’ve licked a lamppost in winter.” She looked deeply into his amber eyes and smiled at him with genuine affection. It was the vaguest version of the truth she could muster. 

“Just the once?” He laughed. “And you didn’t lose half of your tongue in the process? I’m impressed! I…myself never had the pleasure. Not that I haven’t thought about it, of course. But, you know…”

“I suppose it wasn’t easy to meet women in a dormitory full of young templars.” Rose said.

“Well, living in the chantry is not exactly a life for rambunctious boys.” Alistair said, taking Rose’s hand in his. “They taught me to be a gentleman, especially in the presence of beautiful women such as yourself. That’s not so bad, is it?” 

“You think I’m beautiful?” Rose whispered. She knew she was fishing for compliments, but she didn’t care. She needed to hear it tonight. 

“Of course you are and you know it!” Alistair said, dropping her hand so he could bring his hands up to cup both sides of her face. “You’re ravaging, resourceful and all of those other things you’d probably hurt me for not saying.” 

Rose laughed, but looked at Alistair gravely. She brought her hand up and pressed her palm to his chest, right above his heart. “I would never hurt you, Alistair.”

“Nor I you,” Alistair replied, bending down to kiss her again, this time with more confidence and decisiveness. 

They sat that way kissing for awhile, arms entwined and hands gently caressing each other. Alistair felt a familiar heat begin to rise in his gut and travel up his torso, and pulled back abruptly to stop the kiss. 

“See, all of your risque talk made me blush,” He said, pulling her back against his chest and resting his head on top of hers. This time, he breathed in slowly, taking in the scent of her soaps and perfumes, all citrus, sunshine and sweet grasses. 

Alistair knew that he wanted more than this with Rose. More than just stolen kisses while the rest of their party slept through the night. After tonight, he felt like she just might feel the same way, too. They were going to Denerim tomorrow to meet his sister. After that, he would try to steal a moment alone with her and finally tell her about his feelings for her. If he waited one more day, his head might just explode. 


End file.
